Introduction

Writing skills help the learner gain independence, comprehensibility, fluency, and creativity in writing. If learners have mastered these skills, they will be able to write so that not only they can read what they have written, but other speakers of that language can read and understand it.

Definition
Writing skills are specific abilities which help writers put their thoughts into words in a meaningful form and to mentally interact with the message.

Here are some writing goals as defined by Hampton 1989:

• Writers are independent when they are able to write without much assistance.
• Writers gain comprehensibility when they can write so that it can be read and understood by themselves and others.
• Writers are fluent when they are able to write smoothly and easily as well as understandably.
• Writers gain creativity when they can write their own ideas, not copying what has already been written, so that they can be read and understood.

Here are some kinds of writing skills:

• Comprehensibility skills for writing include understanding that writing is communicating messages or information.
• Fluency skills for writing include:
  
  • recognizing the linear sequence of sounds
  • mastering writing motions and letter shapes
  • recognizing the chunking of words
  • recognizing the need for space between word
  • writing quickly